A1G2 decisions. Rebuild or replace?

[Franco_boater]

I think you need to slide back 1/4” off towards small end Then make a hole you make this toavoid damaging the splines When hammering the gimbal, so the bearing stops at the race and the tool doesn’t touch the splines….

 

[nola mike]

Yup, you're right, I think that's exactly what may have flatted the splines. Excellent suggestion! I'll have to make sure I shim the install tool next time.

That means your gimbal bearing isn't properly seated at this point most likely.

 

[Swedefj40]

I think you need to slide back 1/4” off towards small end Then make a hole you make this to avoid damaging the splines When hammering the gimbal, so the bearing stops at the race and the tool doesn’t touch the splines….

I wish I would've known that in the beginning. No instructions with the kit.

 

[Swedefj40]

That means your gimbal bearing isn't properly seated at this point most likely.

Could be, good point. Hopefully there was enough linear movement in the coupler to allow it to seat all the way.

 

[Swedefj40]

This is the best shot I have of the coupler before I cleaned up the edge of the splines...

 

[nola mike]

Could be, good point. Hopefully there was enough linear movement in the coupler to allow it to seat all the way.

I wouldn't be ok with hopefully.

 

[Swedefj40]

I wouldn't be ok with hopefully.

True, but I'm pretty confident that it's in there all the way. I checked my placement of the disc 2 - 3 times with the original bearing installed before I drilled it out and there are NO contact marks on the tool either where it would've made contact with the face of the splines when fully inserted. There are some wear marks on the very end of the tool from repeatedly inserting the tool to perfect the alignment. I think that this is what did the damage to the splines.

 

[Swedefj40]

Couple of pics of the alignment tool and the wear marks...


No wear marks where the tool would make contact with the coupler when fully inserted (1st ridge from tip)...


Noticable wear marks on the tip from making contact with the coupler...

 

[Rick Stephens]

With bars that require the driver bolt to be drilled by the user, the setup is necessary to have the tip of the alignment bar started into the coupler when the gimbal carrier is still not started into the housing. That keeps the bar straight. If the bar is not in the coupler as the gimbal bearing is started, the bar end can impact the edges of the coupler. If the bar end is too far into the coupler when the gimbal bearing starts, then the bar will bottom out in the coupler before seating the bearing carrier fully. There is some wiggle room, but it still needs to be done within those parameters.

 

[nola mike]

There was a great post a couple of months ago where someone put the alignment tool in with the driver piece floating, and used 2" or something pipe on the outside of the tool. Pipe contacted driver, and user hit the pipe with a hammer to drive the bearing. Great solution, wish I could find the post or explain it better

 

[Rick Stephens]

There was a great post a couple of months ago where someone put the alignment tool in with the driver piece floating, and used 2" or something pipe on the outside of the tool. Pipe contacted driver, and user hit the pipe with a hammer to drive the bearing. Great solution, wish I could find the post or explain it better

That'd work fine as long as the pipe had an expanded section to contact the carrier. A pipe just bigger than the alignment bar would impact the bearing instead and destroy the bearing.

 

[nola mike]

That'd work fine as long as the pipe had an expanded section to contact the carrier. A pipe just bigger than the alignment bar would impact the bearing instead and destroy the bearing.

No, you're hitting the round bearing driver part, which is free floating rather than being pinned/drilled to the bar.

 

[Rick Stephens]

No, you're hitting the round bearing driver part, which is free floating rather than being pinned/drilled to the bar.

That makes sense. Would work fine.

 

[Franco_boater]

when I was hammering bearing I inserted the tool with disc but not bolted to the bar, then pulled out a little the bar from the coupler, inserted bigger pipe over the tool and hammered the pipe which pushed the disk with bearing .
Works perfectly

 

[nola mike]

when I was hammering bearing I inserted the tool with disc but not bolted to the bar, then pulled out a little the bar from the coupler, inserted bigger pipe over the tool and hammered the pipe which pushed the disk with bearing .
Works perfectly

Yeah, was it you that posted that solution a while ago? I loved it.

 

[Franco_boater]

No it’s 1st time I’ve said that here

 

[Swedefj40]

There was a great post a couple of months ago where someone put the alignment tool in with the driver piece floating, and used 2" or something pipe on the outside of the tool. Pipe contacted driver, and user hit the pipe with a hammer to drive the bearing. Great solution, wish I could find the post or explain it better

That's a great idea.

 

[Swedefj40]

Well I fired her up this morning and did some preliminary checks and it's noticably quieter. No growling from the bearings which I was surprised to hear that there was that much of a change. Then the wife and I went out for a test run in the harbour and it ran great!

Thanks for all the input everyone. This was a valuable education for me!

 

[Swedefj40]

Ready to go...